"If I could set up a smalls stream school I think it would fail miserably, because I would drill all day on tying knots, casting with in 25 ft, picking up bugs turning over rocks, walking in the shadows. Folks would get bored fast nothing sexy about that stuff."

- if you ever do, i hope i can be there. i enjoy being outdoors, and enjoy learning more about environments, especially a micro-environment that has illustrates how everything is truly connected to everything. Practicing my casts, learning about what the fish are eating, learning to tie properly, and actually catching a fish are just a bonus for an already wonderful day. I am not so good at taking notes, though.

__________________"...The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others." -- President Theodore Roosevelt, 1907

Being simple is key to this sport and I like to fish this way, like your approach.

CHIEF

honest to god i didn't figure it out until i went through the complications of trying to master the hard stuff first because it was 'Sexy' in my mind. i didn't understand the importance of doing the small easy stuff well over and over. I took the long way to catching fish, not that I should be anyones role model now. Just saying that I'm about as smart as the average joe, so I figure if I write about my foolishness and the path I took to get from point a to point b well then maybe I'll help some one else not have to go through the 8 years it's taken me to be able to consistently catch fish. Not that I want to rob anyone of the experience, but I can tell you it was 16 months before I caught a fish on my own with a fly rod so I know what it's like to be a novice and frustrated, probably a lot more then most. I can't imagine it's taken anyone else on this board that long to catch a fish on a fly rod. I'm basically admiting I wore a helmet for the better part of my first two years waving a long rod. I think some of the folks here -may argue need to dig that helmet out still

__________________
tight lines & a creative mind will put more fish at your feet then any fancy gear

I'm with you Pimp.
I was given a fly rod when I was 10 back in Ct and limited instruction from a drunken family friend.
Mostly I learned to fly fish in little creeks and farm ponds for any fish I could catch... and mostly alone.
Pickerel, perch, smallies, largemouth, punkinseeds...
Ocassionally trout.
When I first started I didn't even know what a trout was.
When I fish a small river or creek now, I am constantly reminded of lessons I learned as a kid because I had to figure them out on my own. I've barbed myself many times... I've spooked thousands of fish and probably close to the same number of flies lost in tress or low power lines... and fishing close quarters was the only option when yer grounded for the summer for getting in trouble for shooting out windows with the new BB gun you got and the only thing yer allowed to do is fish a 200' section of tiny overgrown creek in yer back yard.... sorry..

Keeping it simple is the key.
But learning the simplicities on your own can take a while.
I think it's cool you post this stuff and I really think you are helping people more than you might know.
Cheers

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-DP

Creeps and idiots cannot conceal themselves for long on a fishing trip.
~ John Gierach

Simple is good. All the fancy clothing, expensive rods, flashy flies, and other accessories don't mean a thing. It's all about putting the fly in front of a fish. Sometimes you don't even need the 'right' fly, just something reasonable, presented with a decent drift.

A box of flies, spool of tippet, rod & reel are sometimes all you need. It feels good to leave the waders, boots, and all that other 'crap' behind and wade out into a small river on a warm summer day and catch naive, eager fish on top.

I love the notion that you can think a fish into your net. Not litteraly, but to really be creative and figure out what's going on. Recent examples come to mind- in hopes to conceal their locales I won't mention names of water.

Anelid flies for 5 lbs trout - now that is freek'n sneaky and brilliant
A friend of mine asking if I had any snail patterns - that guy is thinking.
Micha and your druken Master - wow is all i can say and you've only been at it for such a short time - amazing!
Rhomer's could only out due his all around fish killer the semiseal w/ a DHM.....

man I could go on, but these folks I mentioned and their approach to creative flies is inspiring. I haven't even touched presentations.... on...15 -25 ft leaders with bubbles...... 30 ft leaders and blue eggs.....

I listen to these things from the folks that thought them up and I can only think genius. Simple takes on a whole new form - you break it down into small consumable chunks and the increadibly complicated becomes so clear you can mold and mend what your doing to figure out just about any situation........

Thanks for the inspiration gentlemen - it is truly appreciated by me.

aaron

__________________
tight lines & a creative mind will put more fish at your feet then any fancy gear

As a newbie to Fly fishing one of the most difficult things for me to do is determine what flies work (or should work) in a given situation. Sure, there are books, articles and magazines but nothing is a substitute for hands on education and experiance. Its awesome you took the time to help educate the guy on technique and selection.